After a challenging North American hard-court season, the former US Open champion found her stride, producing some of her most impressive tennis yet.

On her way to the final, Coco Gauff overcame defending champion Iga Swiatek and delivered a surprise upset over Aryna Sabalenka.

In a gripping, three-hour battle in Saudi Arabia, Gauff ultimately outlasted Olympic champion Zheng with a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory.

Down 2-0 and 5-3 in the deciding set, Gauff found herself two points from defeat but managed to stay composed, pushing the set to a tiebreak. There, she dominated, jumping to a 6-0 lead to secure the win.

Chris Evert pinpoints what has ‘stood out’ about Coco Gauff

Chris Evert, who effectively boycotted the WTA Finals due to it being held in Saudi Arabia, still took the time to watch Gauff from afar.

The American, who won the event four times including its inaugural edition, was quick to highlight what she found most remarkable about Gauff’s impressive, statement win.

Gauff has shown major strides in her game under new coach Matt Daly after her forehand and serve betrayed her over the summer.

Evert pointed out that, while both those shots were firing in the final, it’s Gauff’s unwavering mental toughness that has truly ‘stood out’.

She said in a post on X: “The forehand was impressive, the serving consistent and powerful, but what stood out, as always, was the mental toughness of Coco Gauff.”

Has Coco Gauff fixed her forehand and serve?

Gauff’s forehand and serve have shown marked improvement, likely thanks to her new coach Daly, known for his grip expertise.

The American has demonstrated greater variety in her recent matches, a sign that she and Daly have been working to build consistency and flexibility in her game.

Although her win over Swiatek was error-heavy — she logged 33 unforced errors and 11 double faults while Swiatek recorded 47 unforced errors — Gauff managed to stay resilient and close out the match.

By the semi-finals and finals, her serve looked notably steadier, with only two double faults in the semi’s and four in the final.

While there’s of course room for refinement, Gauff’s progress indicates she may be overcoming these hurdles more quickly than many anticipated.

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